[holding answer 3 April 2000]: The Government recognise that smuggling damages legitimate businesses. They are responding with a strategy worth up to £209 million, which aims to put tobacco smuggling into decline within three years. This is described in detail in "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling". Constraining the growth of smuggling will help retailers by preventing them losing market share to criminals.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the amounts of alcohol and tobacco smuggled into the UK for each of the past 10 years; and what estimate he has made for the next three years; [117552]

(2) what was the estimated tax lost to the Treasury in smuggled (a) cigarettes, (b) rolling tobacco and (c) alcohol in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [117547]

[holding answers 3 April 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" paper published on 22 March 2000 by HM Customs and Excise and HM Treasury; to my answer given on 26 November 1999, Official Report, columns 254-55W; and to the technical report on cross-Channel smuggling placed in the Library of the House on 19 September 1998.

Customs have a range of penalties available includingSeizure of the goods and any vehicle carrying them;Payment of a compounded penalty;Prosecution in Court, including disqualification from driving, revocation of a liquor licence or haulier's licence, removal of lottery terminal, compensation or confiscation orders.